Ice mass snaps free from Canada's Arctic

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ice mass snaps free from Canada's Arctic

A giant ice shelf has snapped free from an island south of the North Pole, scientists said Thursday, citing climate change as a "major" reason for the event.

The Ayles Ice Shelf — all 41 square miles of it — broke clear 16 months ago from the coast of Ellesmere Island, about 500 miles south of the North Pole in the Canadian Arctic.

Scientists discovered the event by using satellite imagery. Within one hour of breaking free, the shelf had formed as a new ice island, leaving a trail of icy boulders floating in its wake.

Warwick Vincent of Laval University, who studies Arctic conditions, traveled to the newly formed ice island and couldn't believe what he saw.

"This is a dramatic and disturbing event. It shows that we are losing remarkable features of the Canadian North that have been in place for many thousands of years," Vincent said. "We are crossing climate thresholds, and these may signal the onset of accelerated change ahead."

The ice shelf was one of six major shelves remaining in Canada's Arctic. They are packed with ancient ice that is more than 3,000 years old. They float on the sea but are connected to land.

Some scientists say it is the largest event of its kind in Canada in 30 years and that climate change was a major element.

"It is consistent with climate change," Vincent said, adding that the remaining ice shelves are 90 percent smaller than when they were first discovered in 1906. "We aren't able to connect all of the dots ... but unusually warm temperatures definitely played a major role."

Laurie Weir, who monitors ice conditions for the Canadian Ice Service, was poring over satellite images in 2005 when she noticed that the shelf had split and separated.

Weir notified Luke Copland, head of the new global ice lab at the University of Ottawa, who initiated an effort to find out what happened.

Using U.S. and Canadian satellite images, as well as seismic data — the event registered on earthquake monitors 155 miles away — Copland discovered that the ice shelf collapsed in the early afternoon of Aug. 13, 2005.

Copland said the speed with which climate change has effected the ice shelves has surprised scientists.

"Even 10 years ago scientists assumed that when global warming changes occur that it would happen gradually so that perhaps we expected these ice shelves just to melt away quite slowly," he said.

Derek Mueller, a polar researcher with Vincent's team, said the ice shelves get weaker and weaker as temperatures rise. He visited Ellesmere Island in 2002 and noticed that another ice shelf had cracked in half.

"We're losing our ice shelves and this a feature of the landscape that is in danger of disappearing altogether from Canada," Mueller said.

Within days of breaking free, the Ayles Ice Shelf drifted about 30 miles offshore before freezing into the sea ice. A spring thaw may bring another concern: that warm temperatures will release the new ice island from its Arctic grip, making it an enormous hazard for ships.

"Over the next few years this ice island could drift into populated shipping routes," Weir said.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

AHHHHHHH, were all gonna die! Break out the soda

[mrc 0]

Everytime I read about Global Warming now, I immediately think of the South Park episode when the whole town was running away in an attempt to evade GLOBAL WARMING!

[Alex+R 0]

Oh, sh!t.

[mrc 0]

What's amazing is that they said this was the largest event in Canada in 30 years, which implies something of this magnitude had happened well before everyone was in fear of the dreaded Global Warming.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Oh, sh!t.

...with the exception of a handful of VJ'ers who apparantly slept through their science classes or never bothered taking any, the world is taking notice...

Scientists predict the marine environment is likely to change the most. The number of species dependent on sea ice, including seals and polar bears, could decline. Some could even become extinct.

Under the scenario described in the assessment, the polar bear is "unlikely" to survive, while land-based northern species including caribou, muskox and reindeer would find their habitats severely reduced.

The report has already caught the attention of Inuit groups, who fear the rapidly melting ice will mean trouble for their way of life. The Inuit rely on a cold climate and the species who thrive in it for food, shelter and clothing.

"From my point of view the powerful message is that the Arctic is really impacted, and the people are really impacted — but this is a global phenomenon," Correll says. He argues the Arctic is the way to understand what is happening to the rest of the world.

Correll says the impact of rising water levels could be devastating.

"It will eliminate about the lower 15 or 20 per cent of Florida." An extra metre of water, he says, "will eliminate 40 per cent of the land mass of Bangladesh."

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2004/11/08/...melt041108.html

[almaty 19]

Oh, sh!t.

...with the exception of a handful of VJ'ers who apparantly slept through their science classes or never bothered taking any, the world is taking notice...

Scientists predict the marine environment is likely to change the most. The number of species dependent on sea ice, including seals and polar bears, could decline. Some could even become extinct.

Under the scenario described in the assessment, the polar bear is "unlikely" to survive, while land-based northern species including caribou, muskox and reindeer would find their habitats severely reduced.

The report has already caught the attention of Inuit groups, who fear the rapidly melting ice will mean trouble for their way of life. The Inuit rely on a cold climate and the species who thrive in it for food, shelter and clothing.

"From my point of view the powerful message is that the Arctic is really impacted, and the people are really impacted — but this is a global phenomenon," Correll says. He argues the Arctic is the way to understand what is happening to the rest of the world.

Correll says the impact of rising water levels could be devastating.

"It will eliminate about the lower 15 or 20 per cent of Florida." An extra metre of water, he says, "will eliminate 40 per cent of the land mass of Bangladesh."

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2004/11/08/...melt041108.html

i agree with you brother....sh!t is happening

[peejay 327]

Such news hasn't slowed plans to build 11 more coal fired electrical plants in Texas. Not to mention the huge reliance on coal in the developing economies of China and India.

These climate events unfortunately are not dramatic enough to change the policies of governments.

[mawilson 2,133]

AHHHHHHH, were all gonna die! Break out the soda

[edsperfect 25]

AHHHHHHH, were all gonna die! Break out the soda

THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING! The earth is in a 10,000 year warm spell which is less then a blink of an eye in he existance of our planet. After that it will become somewhat colder and bring on an ice age in the northern hemisphere. I think w are in the last 1000-1500 years of that cycle. Then our orbit around the sun will change, as it has hundreds of times already, and it will get colder.

[mawilson 2,133]

THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING! The earth is in a 10,000 year warm spell which is less then a blink of an eye in he existance of our planet. After that it will become somewhat colder and bring on an ice age in the northern hemisphere. I think w are in the last 1000-1500 years of that cycle. Then our orbit around the sun will change, as it has hundreds of times already, and it will get colder.

Global warming is real. Very real. It's silly to argue that global warming doesn't exist.

There's solid evidence that the earth's average temperature is rising. There's less consensus

about the cause of global warming or what should be done about it.

The right question to ask is,

"Are we (humans) responsible for global warming or is it a natural part of the Earth’s climate cycle?"

[Sinergy 3]

Im moving back north

[Jasman0717 9]

AHHHHHHH, were all gonna die! Break out the soda

Soda! Make mine a San Miguel

[Fandango 1,440]

AHHHHHHH, were all gonna die! Break out the soda

lol

[Sinergy 3]

THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING! The earth is in a 10,000 year warm spell which is less then a blink of an eye in he existance of our planet. After that it will become somewhat colder and bring on an ice age in the northern hemisphere. I think w are in the last 1000-1500 years of that cycle. Then our orbit around the sun will change, as it has hundreds of times already, and it will get colder.

Global warming is real. Very real. It's silly to argue that global warming doesn't exist.

There's solid evidence that the earth's average temperature is rising. There's less consensus

about the cause of global warming or what should be done about it.

The right question to ask is,

"Are we (humans) responsible for global warming or is it a natural part of the Earth’s climate cycle?"

I usually never agree with you. Half of the time i think you make no sence. Hell froze over today bc i agree with you 100000000% on this topic!!!